Monday, May 7, 2012

No Tongue Can Tell

What a silly girl I was this time last year. I had NO IDEA what my mission held in store for me when I opened my call. I am sad to admit that I was disappointed in my call, not realizing that it's not about where you go, it's about the people you go to. Don't ever be disappointed in a mission call! I promise you, wherever the Lord calls you, is where you are meant to be, regardless of that place! I wish so badly I could go back to last February and start over, knowing what I know now- the choices I made then would be completely different if I were able to make them again today. But I guess that's how life goes right? You live and you learn and you move on. How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father. He knows me better than anyone on this Earth, including myself. I love my mission with all my heart, and if all I did was come here to experience this temple open house and that's it, I would be satisfied for the eternities.. Words cannot even express the feelings that I have had this past week. I honestly don't even know what to say that will bring justice to my experiences that I have been so blessed to be apart of.

Sweet Beth was baptized on Tuesday. I love her so much. The baptism was so amazing, and so spiritual. I just don't know what else to say to that. You just had to be there.

Benedict was baptized on Friday- we had a tender experience with him a couple days before he was baptized.. As we were teaching his last lesson, we got to the end and asked him if he had anymore questions... he then looked at us with tears in his eyes and said, "I'm ready. I'm ready to do this." Needless to say, his baptism was a very spiritual experience, and I know without a doubt that both him and Beth were prepared and ready to make the covenants that they made this past week.

Saturday was the cultural celebration. Ahh, I just keep getting frustrated because I don't know how to express to all of you how special this experience was to me.. It's hard to even type about it without crying.. All 240 of us missionaries got to the Marriott Hotel across the street from the event center. We gathered in a large room and sang "We'll Bring the World His Truth" in preparation for the event. The power and the spirit that existed among all of us was almost palpable.. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. God was with us. There is no other way to describe the feeling I had as we sang those words. President Keyes bore a sweet testimony to us, and when he spoke, I felt as though angels from Heaven were gathered in that room echoing his words into my heart that what he was saying truly was from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. In was in that moment that I KNEW I had made a choice that will forever change the outcome of my future and will forever bless my life. When we all walked over to the event center, it was a beautiful sight to see... there is power in number. Ha ha. Elder Deschler, who is the area seventy here, told President Keyes that he wanted to make sure all of the missionaries had a seat in the center, that he didn't want us to have to stand.. And so when we got there they had seating just for us. As we sat there patiently, the crowd arose, and in walked President Monson- our beloved Prophet. Oh, how I love him, and will always strive to follow him. I know he represents our Savior here on this Earth.

The Cultural Celebration was amazing.. there were 3100 youth from all over that participated. It was so exciting to watch as a missionary! Our time to come on wasn't until the end- and so on Que, we booked it down to the bottom of the stage, and waited for our turn to enter on. Like rushing water, all 240 missionaries marched onto the middle of the stage. I wanted to cry when I looked around me to see the entire audience standing and applauding us as we walked on, not to mention the youth kneeling to us and clapping, like we were royalty....but then, when we turned to where the Prophet was sitting, he was standing and applauding us and smiling. I couldn't help but feel an outpouring of the spirit then, and wanted to cry, but President Keyes told us to resist because we had to sing ha ha. It was a very special experience for me that I will never, ever forget. Temples truly are meant to bring us together.

Yesterday was the KC Temple Dedication. Sister Stoker and I were able to attend all 3 sessions of it, and boy was it worth it! All 4 of our recent converts were able to go to the dedication. We made all of them white handkerchiefs with their names embroidered onto them. I felt like a proud parent that was watching my children with great admiration, as I knew that what our recent converts were being apart of would change their lives. My life has been changed just since this past week. I have a renewed dedication to the Lord. I honestly don't know how else to express how I felt yesterday.

OK- so one more neat story- last night as we were driving home from Kansas City, we received a voicemail from President Keyes. He expressed his love for us and then told us about a story he heard after the celebration. He said that the men who were in the satellite truck, broadcasting the celebration, were watching as all of us missionaries came on stage. He said that the men in that truck began to cry and were weeping so badly that they had a hard time doing what they were supposed to be doing to keep the broadcast going. Sister Stoker and I were both in tears and couldn't help but feel overwhelming gratitude and love for the Savior and for His work. I had no idea the impact that we had as walked onto that stage. No idea. President also told us that he is meeting with the temple president today to work out a policy for all of us missionaries to be able to go to the temple. We have a temple here now! A DEDICATED TEMPLE! Ahhh I just love it! President also told us that next month we will all be getting a copy of the celebration to have. Isn't that so awesome?!!!! I cannot think of anything better right now. I honestly don't know how to tell all of you how I feel. I have such a fire within me right now that I want to shout from the rooftops! Ha ha as cheesy as that sounds.... Boy, do I love this gospel, with all my heart. I am so, so, so, so, thankful for all the blessings and opportunities my God has given me. I love Him. I love my Savior, I know He lives. Joseph Smith truly did restore His gospel to earth in these last days. Thomas S. Monson is Christ's living prophet here on the earth today. I love you all! WE HAVE A TEMPLE NOW!